UTStarcom UM150 and Internet connection sharing

zephyrus · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

Heres what I have :

1 Netgear router
1 laptop
3 desktops (1 not plugged in yet)

Heres how its connected :

Alltel wireless plugged into the USB on my laptop. Connection is shared giving a static 192.168.0.1 address to the ethernet adapter for the laptop. Have the Ethernet of the laptop plugging into the uplink on the router to give the router an IP address. Have one computer plugged into the LAN1 and another on wireless.

Whats Happening :

I can get connected and all works fine.... for about 10 seconds. The internet gets to the other 2 computers just fine and all computers can use the internet and route from the router to the laptop but the connection keeps dropping. Session logs show that I have some 11hr sessions (thats when no one is using the internet). As soon as we start using the internet on the other computers the internet will go down seconds after it connects.

I have talked to tech support they advised to use the y-cable - plugged it in, doesn't seem to make any difference. Still loosing connection a lot. In a 24 hour period my longest uptime was 11hrs and that was while I was at work. Than I have a lot 10sec-20sec and maybe a few 1min-2min here and there.

I know there are routers that support these devices but I simply cant afford to spend $200 on a router.

Anyone with suggestions please help me.

zephyrus · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

Another thing I just thought of. Under configure for the adapter would it be worthwhile to remove :

1. Enable Hardware Flow Control
2. Enable Modem Error Control
3. Enable Modem Compression

All those options are checked by default. Not sure if they would have any bearing on the problem or not. Someone has to know something or tried this.

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1943

zephyrus · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

At this point I don't want to try and budget a router for 150$.. My wife will kill me. I thought this would be an easy solution. Im going to try my desktop with the wireless and share it from there. Maybe the laptop isn't allowing enough power?

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1943

the basic problem with what you are doing is that its not supported by the carrier, the router maker, the computer maker, or microsoft.

so you really are on your own, or at the mercy of folks with good intentions on this (or other forums)... who can't guarantee a solution because of a multitude of variables that neither you nor they control.

just because one person can make it work with their equipment, doesn't mean it can or will work as well (or at all) with your equipment.

i hope you can pull it off... but if you can't, just remember there is an easier, and supported, way to do this.

zephyrus · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

I understand easier and more efficient ways to do things. Im sure ISPs dont care all that much because most people are going to have a router hooked to a modem that is going to allow access to the internet for multiple computers. Depending on what the router can hand (Lan and wireless mixed). I think my limitation is the USB on my laptop.

Im going to try my desktop computer later and see if it makes a difference.

chessercat · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject: Tower jumping

Hi, guys.

Well, I can say I feel your pain, because I've got the same problem. I've got a LinkSys WRT54G (one of the newer ones, no third-party firmware available), a UT-Starcom UM150 and a Compaq PIII-733, plus numerous wifi-connected laptops.

The Compaq is functioning as the gateway, with the UM150 attached via USB. The Compaq also has Ethernet connecting it to the WAN port on the LinkSys, via a crossover cable. The Compaq is running Gentoo, with iptables enabled to provide ip forwarding and firewall. With that processor and 512 MB RAM, it's not like my gateway is underpowered.

We were using WildBlue. Since they do not allow externally created connections, forget about making something on a home machine visible to the outside world. While I have no intention of hosting a commercial website, it would be nice to be able to show a client (or potential client) a prototype, running on my machine (I'm a web developer). Additionally, no externally created connections also means no P2P. Finally, since you're bouncing off a satellite in geostationary orbit, ping time was at least 1100 ms to anywhere. Using that to hit an RDP session on a Windows server was frustrating.

Our contract with WildBlue was about up, and we had a thunderstorm (with plenty of lightning) which knocked out the receiver. I had a data plan and a data cable for my Moto E-815, which I used as a backup. We were in a 1x-CDMA area; hence, the reason for having WildBlue. Well, a couple days after the WildBlue equipment died, and before we could get a service call to fix it, my Moto started giving me an EVDO indicator. I fired up a data connection, and was pleased to discover that I could pull over 1 Mb/s through the connection. After a couple days of that, we decided to ditch WildBlue and get a data module from Alltel.

For the first week, it was all good. I could run BitTorrent through it, no problem. We had three people with laptops, all going through the same connection, no problem. It rocked, pure and simple.

After the first week (about a week ago), a problem developed. With one person surfing the net and checking e-mail, it usually ran reliably. Fire up a BitTorrent client, which puts significant traffic through the connection, and the connection bounces like crazy. We're talking 0.2 to 4.0 minutes before losing the connection, then another 30 seconds to build a new connection, then another 0.2 - 4.0 minutes connected, etc. Get two or more people, using wifi to hit the LinkSys (no BitTorrent), and it does the same. I've been digging through online forums left and right trying to find a solution. I have yet to find one.

I talked to Alltel, today. The first person I talked to said I was on the fringes of a 1x-CDMA area, with no EVDO available. I explained that:

* my Moto routinely had 3-4 bars, and was showing 4 bars and an EVDO indicator at the moment (not exactly fringe), and
* the data module checks signal quality before connecting in and routinely gets a "24," which corresponds with 4 bars

I had connected my cell to the data cable, prior to the call, and was able to pull over 1 Mb/s through the connection; definitely EV-DO, and not what I'd call "fringe." Three weeks ago I was, indeed, getting a 1x-CDMA signal, but that had changed recently. He escalated my ticket to another guy.

The second guy I talked to (Adam) "checked the connection logs" and confirmed that I was repeatedly losing my connection and reconnecting; the log showed that my module was connecting to one tower, losing the connection, hitting another tower, getting the same situation, and going back to the first. He called it "tower jumping." He suggested they could push a PRL to the module which would direct the module to stay on one tower; should take 45-60 minutes. I would need to disconnect for the duration, which I did.

Adam seemed much more knowledgeable, and clearly had the tools to dig into the core of the problem.

After an hour, I fired up the connection. It ran for about 25 minutes; looking good. I fired up my BitTorrent client, and the connection promptly started bouncing, again. So much for the new PRL (assuming it had been pushed within the time frame Adam had specified).

If it really is bouncing between towers, I'm seriously thinking about getting a directional antenna, so that one, and only one, tower will be seen clearly, to help eliminate the tower jumping. Since we're using the module in a "fixed point" setting, instead of a mobile setting, this is a viable option.

For those of you suggesting purchasing a dedicated router, please note: if the module really is jumping towers, buying a new router WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM!

May I politely suggest that, before you just say "oh, go buy this," you actually work the problem. My Compaq has pretty solid software on it (very reliable and regularly updated) and the connection runs like a screaming bat out of h**l with my Moto. No dedicated router out there is going to have resources equal to what I've got already.

While I do anticipate buying a Cradlepoint, or something like it, at some point in the future (to simplify the network configuration), I want to make sure my connectivity is solid BEFORE I plunk money on it. Right now, it is not what I would describe as "solid." An directional antenna might be a better investment, at this point.

I bounced around Google and various websites for the last week, looking for a solution. I don't know that I have one, yet, but I do believe I'm closer to one. For those of you who are also dealing with the problem, you might want to check with your provider and see if they can shed some light on the core of the problem. Hopefully, you can get someone as knowledgeable and helpful as Adam.

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1943

zephyrus · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

If changing to a desktop to work as my gateway to the internet doesnt work I will go rounds with Alltel techs. I have a background in networking and working with them. also a degree for network admin. this stuff isnt lost on me.

If all else I will try a different adapter, maybe mine is defective.

ansar · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:01 pm Post subject:

Are you able to get online and stay online with just the 150 plugged into your laptop and nothing else? Maybe your disconnects have nothing to do with your lan setup.

My first guess is you are double NATing, well, not exactly, but if you are having problems might as well eliminate stuff. I would disable DHCP in your router and allow windows ICS to serve up your IPs.

I have a very similar setup to yours. Here is what I did:

1. I turned on ICS on the computer my evdo modem is plugged into.
2. I disabled DHCP on the router, essentially making it a hub/switch.
3. I connected the evdo modem computer to one of my routers regular ports, not the wan port.
4. I plugged the rest of my computers into the other regular ports in the router.

zephyrus · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

I didnt try those suggestions. Got fed up and loaded the software onto my desktop (Windows XP Pro) and had a problem with my svchost.exe failing then I would reboot the computer with the device plugged in and it would BSOD during boot. Remove the device it would boot normally.

So i used another desktop (Windows Vista Home) and using a straight through CAT5 cable with auto switching ports and all is working so far... This is without the router..

And i was Double NAT'ing, although I can't see where that would be the cause of my problems. Never know I guess. Ill try the switch thing later when I am home.... I used to Double NAT before. Cable modem -> Sonic Wall -> Belkin. Worked Great.

and also (im sure this is mentioned elsewhere) Alltel tech support is sad.. they don't have a standard trouoble shooting procedure. Seems like they all do their own thing and don't know what they are doing.

chessercat · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:45 am Post subject: I'm working

Guys,

This is a follow-up to my earlier post.

Apparently, "Adam" was a knowledgeable support rep. I waited an hour, as per his request, but nothing improved. That was as of noon, Wednesday, 4/9/08.

Thursday morning, my connection had reset at 10:30 a.m. However, after that, it was rock solid. I'm getting over 800 Kb/s on SpeedTest (not as high as it had been, but I'm not griping). I ran BitTorrent all day, while surfing the web, sending/receiving e-mail, SSH and RDP sessions, etc. Rock solid.

Either it took longer to get the PRL pushed than he had expected, or they did something else. Either way, the configuration I mentioned above is rock solid.

Note: I, too, am doing a double NAT. The LinkSys is doing a NAT for all the wifi-connected stuff, and it has my caching DNS and caching Proxy server on that network (192.168.128.x). The WAN port of the LinkSys is on the 192.168.127.x subnet, as is the Compaq which actually has the USB module attached. The Compaq, as mentioned before, is doing IP Masquerade (aka NAT).

So, yes, I am able to get the config working with a two-level NAT.

I have a proxy server because I've got a couple machines running Gentoo and a couple more running Ubuntu. The Gentoo machines have similar sets of packages; so, if one of them updates, then the other, the first one "charges" the proxy cache with most of the packages the other Gentoo machine will need. When I update the second machine, most of the packages download at over 400 KB/s (straight off the proxy's hard drive). Ditto for the two Ubuntu machines. Saves on bandwidth, and heaven knows keeping Linux distros updated chews up a lot of bandwidth.

Putting a caching DNS on the local network saves round-trip DNS requests. That way, when we have multiple people hitting the channel, we reduce the total number of DNS requests necessary and improves the latency for those who are surfing.

In the past, I've used such an arrangement with dial-up access (48kb/s connect speeds) and managed to support three machines on a local net with a tolerable level of performance. Two of the machines were running Debian, and one of them "charged the cache" by downloading packages updates at 2 a.m.

One thing to note: I fired up the GUI on the Compaq, fired up Firefox, and did a SpeedTest straight off the machine. CPU utilization was very high. I realize Firefox is a CPU hog, but this indicates that the CPU overhead on IP Masq and firewall is significant. I'm really glad I'm not using a less substantial machine for the job. I was originally looking at using an old HP laptop with a Pentium MMX 166 and 48 MB RAM. It choked on it; it was NOT up to the task.

zephyrus · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

Later im going to install the router with DoubleNat and see if there is a kill request being made somewhere. The windows Vista computer should not be accepting those though.

Anyways, Im going to be running windows 2k3 server shorthly with DNS/DHCP and see how it holds up. It would be nice to work that out. Otherwise if that doesn't work I will try and use fedora assuming I can get the device to work on Fedora.